The Number Two Bus: First ‘Poo Bus’ Goes Into Service In The UK, Runs On Human Waste

This bus gives the “number two” bus a whole new meaning. The U.K. made headlines after putting the first bus into service that runs off of human sewage and food waste.

The 40-seat airport shuttle bus sometimes referred to as the “poo bus” is located in Britain and runs between Bristol Airport and Bath city centre. The Bath Bus Company’s Bio-Bus uses the human and food waste to cut emissions by 30 percent with the use of biomethane gas instead of diesel fuel. According to the BBC, the odorless gas is produced at a sewage treatment plant in Avonmouth run by GENeco.

In the U.S., the Sanitation District of Los Angeles has begun using the same technology to convert its trucks to biogas. Instead of a sewage plant, Los Angeles Sanitation is using landfills to produce the biogas.

The Press Association notes that the bus can travel up to 186 miles on a single tank of gas.

“Many people may have ridden a “number two” bus. But maybe not a bus run on number twos. The Bio-Bus is a 40-seater shuttle service between Bath and Bristol Airport — powered entirely by human and food waste. It can travel up to 186 miles on one tank of gas, but it’s not a pretty process.”

GENeco general manager Mohammed Saddiq says that the Bio-Bus is unique because it is actually powered by the people living in the local area.

“Gas-powered vehicles have an important role to play in improving air quality in U.K. cities but the Bio-Bus goes further than that and is actually powered by people living in the local area, including quite possibly those on the bus itself.”

What do you think of the “poo bus” concept? Is human waste powered vehicles the future of improving air quality and lowering emissions?